As could be expected, the emotional highlight came from Valerie Harper, diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year, who brought Carrie Ann Inaba to tears with her 21-point foxtrot with Tristan MacManus that received a standing ovation from the audience. Although the judges respected the effort, Tonioli critiqued the actress's shoulder movement.

Elizabeth Berkley also pulled off an impressive routine, scoring three eights for her contemporary with Valentin Chmerkovskiy. Inaba told the former Saved by the Bell star that she is "far superior" to her Showgirls days.

But a night of high scores didn't go without low ones.

Bill Nye took the evening's lowest ranking, with a mere 14 points out of 30 for his science-themed cha cha with partner Tyne Stecklein. Tonioli slammed the performance, telling Nye, "You had all the elements in there but they were all backward and forward."

Keyshawn Johnson and Sharna Burgess didn't fare too much better. They scored 17 points for a cha cha that Inaba critiqued for being "a little stiff" in the beginning.

 Jack Osbourne brought his mom to tears in the audience when he danced to a 23-point foxtrot with Cheryl Burke that Inaba called "nothing but class."

 Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi wowed the judges who gave her 23 points for a lively cha cha with partner Sasha Farber that Goodman praised for her footwork.

 Christina Milian and Mark Ballas danced a 22-point contemporary that Tolioni "loved," but Inaba panned for a lack of connection with the audience.